Gas-purifier.



No. 663,837. lmentar: nec. n, |900. Y

A. c. swzAm. GAS Pu'mrle. (Application med Apr. 2o, 1900., (No Model.)

sl IW IVVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

of Fig. l.

Starts IlNTlE Fermat @tribut APPIUS C. SWAIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO JAY MILTON BOWERS, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-"PURIFIEFL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,837,dated December 11, 190O. Application filed April20,1900. Serial No.13,653. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concer-71,.-

Beit known that I, APPIUS C. SWAIN,a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at San Francisco,in the county of San Francisco andState "of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin a Combined Washer, Scrubber, and Purifier for Illu minating-Gas, ofwhich the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to an improved combined washer, scrubber, andpurifier for illuminating-gas, the object of my invention being toprovide a single apparatus compact in form and cheap and simple inconstruction which will effectually clean and purify the gas at verysmall expense for operatinge-one, moreover, by means of which a higherpercentage of the valuable constituents of the gas can be saved and ahigher candle-power obtained than with apparatus of this characterheretofore in use. i

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination,and arrangement of parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of theapparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line A A of Fig. l.Fig. 3 is a horizontal section onthe line B B Fig. 4 is a rear view ofthe deflecting-plate for the purifier removed, and Fig. 5 is a similarview of the deflecting-plate for the scrubber.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my improved apparatusconsists of a tower of either circular or square cross-sec` tion (I haveherein shown the tower as cylindrical) made in a single shell. For convenience of assemblage, however, the tower is made in two sections-anupper section a and a lower section b-riveted together, as shown at c.The lower section b constitutes the washer and scrubber, and the uppersection a constitutes the washer and purifier, of the illuminating-gas.Said sections are made with concave or basin-like bottoms or washers de, which prevent the clogging up of the scrubber and purifier. To saidbottoms are tapped the overflow or waste pipes f g to carry off the tarand ffoul matter washed out of the gas. The gas entering the scrubber bythe inlet-pipe hfrom the gas generator and fixer flows against thedeflecting-plate c', which is set at an angle over said inlet-pipe .andhas its lower edge below the normal level of the water in the basin-likewasher e of the scrubber, thus compelling the gas to pass under andthrough the water beforeV passing up through the scrubber. Said platehas formed therein near the lower edge a number of small perforations j,through which the gas passes,

being thereby broken up and thoroughlywashed in passing through thewater inthe bottom of the scrubber. By means of this construction thegas drops most of its tarry matter in the washer and saves the scrubberfrom handling the heavy tars.

Above the washer e extends the scrubber, provided with zigzag shelvingto the top. The shelves k are set on a slant in such a manner as topermit a free liow to the passage of the gas and prevent clogging. Thewater enters the top of the scrubber through the pipe Z and flows downsaid shelves and meeting the ascending gas is gradually heated on itsdescent. Thus the gas entering at or near the bottom of the washer mustfirst pass through hot water, thereby saving much more of its lightercarbons than if washed through cold water. As the water passes upwardthrough the scrubber it meets at every shelf a different temperature ofwater, and when it reaches the outlet the gas passes into the purifierat a reduced temperature, thus keeping the chemicals inside the purifierat a desired low temperature. In this way the gas is` made to pass theopposite Way and through the water at every turn in the shelving, andthus the gas is exposed to a very large scrubbing and cooling surface.

The upper section of the apparatus, consisting of the washer andchemical purifier, is furnished with a series of alternating disks m andbaffle-plates n. The baffle-platesn are secured to` the shell of thepurifier, and the disks m are made fast to a central rod o, which isguided in upper and lower bearingsp q and is adjustably supported at thetop, as shown at r, so that the openings between the disks andbaffle-plates may be varied to furnish any back pressure necessary toproduce the best results. I have here shown the adjustment IOO as madeby means of a screw, and agas-tight stuffing-box is provided for therod, which passes through the top of the purifier.

The gas passes out of the scrubber by means of a pipe s, through whichit emerges, impinging upon a defiecting-plate t, bent l downward, asshown, th'e lower edge of said ber.

defiecling-plate passing below the surface of the liquid in the washerat the bottom of the purifier, said plate being perforated at said loweredge, as shown at u, whereby the gas in passing up through the water isminutely divided and becomes thoroughly mingled with the chemicals andWater. In this way the tar, ammonia, and other impurities are eliminatedfrom the gas.

o represents inlet-pipes for suitable chemicals, which are passedthrough said pipes into the top of the purifier and then fiow downthrough the purifier alternately onto the baffle-plates and disks to thewasher d in the bottom of the purifier, whence they are drawn by meansof an overiiow-pipe f, from which, if desired, they may be carried backto the tank by means of a pump to be used over and over again until themixture becomes' foul with sulfur compounds, when it is againreplenished with a fresh chemical mixture.

0c y are Siphon-seals which can be set to any desired height to overcomethe back pressure from the gas-holder or gas-Works.

z/ represents draw-off valves for drawing off all liquors and water fromthe purifier and scrubber.

z2 is a U-shaped pressure-gage for indicating the pressure in thegas-inlet to the scrub- An important advantage obtained by myconstruction is that the gas is washed first in Water that has beenhighly heated by contact with the ascending gas, and thus a much largerpercentage of the lighter hydrocarbons is saved than with the practicewhich has heretofore prevailed of washing the gas first in cold water.

The cooling ofthe gas takes place gradually as it ascends through thescrubber, and thus the greatest possible saving is effected in thepurification of the gas and a higher candlepower obtained than wouldotherwise be the case.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinationof a casing, a waterpipe entering the top of the casing, zigzag shelvingdown which water flows in a tortuous path from the pipe to the bottom ofthe casing, a concave bottom for said casing, a gas-pipe discharginginto said c asing near said bottom, a deflecting-plate over the mouth ofthe gas-pi pe, to defiect the gas into the Water in said concave bottom,said deflectingplate being perforated near its lower edge, an outlet forthe gas at the top of the casing, and an outlet for the Water at thebottom of the casing, substantially as described.

eeaesv` 2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combinationof a casing having a concave bottom, annular bae-plates secured to thecasing,disks alternating with said baffleplates, a central rodsupporting said disks, a gas-inlet near the bottom of the casing, adeflecting-plate over said gas-inlet having its lower edge perforated, agas-outlet at the top of the casing, a liquid-inlet at the top of thecasing and a liquid-outlet at the bottom of the casing having aSiphon-seal, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of acasing having a concave bottom, annular baffle-plates secured to thecasing,disks alternating with said baffleplates, a central rodsupporting said disks, means for adjusting said rod vertically to adjustthe openings between the disks and bafiieplates, a gas-inlet near thebottom of the casing, a defiecting-plate over said gas-inlet having itslower edge perforated, a gas-outlet at the top of the casing, aliquid-inlet at the top of thecasing and a liquid-outlet at the bottomof the casing having a Siphon-seal, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ascrubber and purifier, having a common casing, the latter arranged abovethe former, each having a concave or basin-like'bottom, a liquid-outflowpipe leading therefrom and a liquid-inlet pipe at the top, and eachhaving shelving arranged to form a tortuous path for the descendingliquid the scrubber having a gasinlet pipe at its lower end and agas-outlet from its upper end leading tothe lower end of the purifier,and the purifier havingagasoutlet pipe at its upper end, substantiallyas described.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of ascrubber and purifier, having a common casing, the latter arranged abovethe former, each having a concave or basin-like bottom, and'aliquid-outflow pipe leading therefrom and a liquid-inlet pipe at thetop, and each having shelving arranged to form a tortuouspath for thedescending liquid, the scrubber having a gasiulet pipe at its lower endand a gas-outlet from its upper end leading to the lower end 'of thepurifier and the purifier having a gasoutlet pipe at its upper end, andsaid scrubber and purifier having each a defiecting-plate over thegas-inlet pipe thereinto,substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the character described the combination of ascrubber and purifier having a common casing, the latter arranged abovethe former, each havinga concave or basin-like bottom, and aliquid-outflow pipe leading therefrom and a liquid-inlet pipe at thetop, and each having shelving arranged to form a tortuous path for thedescending liquid, the scrubber having a gasinlet pipe at its lower endand a gas-outlet from roo IIO

li'rs upper end leading to the lower end of the` purifier, and thepurifier having a gas-outlet pipe at its upper end endsaid scrubber andpurier having each a defleeting-plate over the gas-inlet pipe thereinto,said plebe being perforated at its lower edge, substantially asdescribed;

